I totally agree with the voters of Penhill when they labelled the marquee polling station a waste of money (EA 2/5/03).

As prospective Labour candidate for the council elections I raised my concerns regarding the closure of the Penhill community centre, the normal polling station, with the electoral office in January 2003 but was assured that Education and Community had guaranteed the building would be available.

From my own enquiries I have discovered that the electoral office was only informed after polling cards had been printed that the building would be closed.

Clearly someone in Education and Community, despite concerns being raised, did not have their mind on the job.

Community activists in Penhill like myself have been hard pressed at times to get even relatively small amounts of money to provide youth facilities in our ward and the money wasted on this marquee, along with the hired toilets, electricity generator and two security guards for two nights, could have been better spent and I have asked that the borough fully investigates who is responsible for this fiasco.

I would like to thank the voters of Penhill ward for their support on May 1.

Andy Harrison

Ward Councillor for Penhill